Bolster.



F. DITCHFIELD.

BOLSTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, 191.4.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Q m J I 8 FRANK DITCHFIELD, 0F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

BOLS'IER.

essrs.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK DITGHFIELD, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada, and resident of the city of Montreal, in the Province of Quebecand Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Bolsters, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention relates to improvements in bolsters, and the object is toprovide a simple, economical and easy method of making bolsters.

A further object is to provide a bolster of decreased cost and increaseddurability.

A still further object is to provide a novel and improved means ofconnecting the compression and tension members of a bolster.

Another object is to provide means for transmitting the pull of thetension member to the entire end of the compression member, wherebyunequal stresses and tearing of the compression member are eliminated.

The most common form of bolster in use at the present time, generallyknown as the simplex bolster, consists essentially of a compressionmember of channel section, and a tension member of ordinary rectangularsection, connected at its ends to the ends or the compression member andspaced away therefrom at the center by a strut. For obvious reasons, itis necessary to bend the web of the compression member, so that its weboccupies a plane parallel with the tension member. The end of thetension member is bent over the end of the compression member web andriveted, a suitable filling plate being inserted to increase the radiusof bend and to stiiien the end of the compression member web. If thisplate becomes broken, there is a strong tendency for the tension memberto tear the web. of the compression member down between the flangesthereof. Such a bolster is, moreover, fundamentally wrong, in that thepull of the tension member is delivered on only a part of the end of thecompression member. In addition to the foregoing detects, thecompression member is more or less expensive to make, owing to thenecessity of bending the ends into a 'plane parallel with the tensionmember.

The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages by providinga special form of end casting which serves the purpose of the ordinaryend casting, and in addition forms a seat against which the entire endof the compression member bears.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1914.

Patented June 22, 1915. Serial No. 830,931.

This casting is formed to replace the filler and bent portion of thecompression member end, so that the compression member is shortened, theoperation of bending and the making and inserting of the fillereliminated. The end casting forms the connection between the tension andcompression members, and is by reason thereof more securely connected tothe bolster than the ordinary end castings. A key is also providedsecurely holding the compression and tension memhere in 7 their properpositions relative to one another and to the casting.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention :Figure l is a partialelevation of a bolster formed according to the present invention. Fig. 2is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section at the center of thebolster end. Fig. 3 is an inner end elevation of the bolster end. Fig. 4is an outer end elevation of the bolster end.

It will be understood that in the drawings, only the most simple form ofend casting is shown, namely, the open bottom type adapted for theinsertion of a wood block to form the spring seat. The bottom and sidesof this casting may, however, be formed in any suitable Way, accordingto the design of the truck or other structure to which the bolster isapplied.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 designates thecompression member of ordinary channel section, and 6 the tension memberof ordinary rectangular or other section, usually in the form of a strapor narrow plate as shown. These two members are spaced apart at theircenters by a strut 7. In the ordinary form of simplex bolster, the endsof the compression member would be bent up to bring the web into a planeparallel with the tension member, and the end of the tension member bentover the end of the compression member web. The end casting would thenbe riveted to the flanges of the compression member. Moreover, the endcasting would be subject to more or less movement relatively to thebolster. The greatest disadvantage, however, is that the pull of thetension member would be exerted only on the web of the compressionmember, so that the flanges thereof would scarcely be in compression atall and internal stresses be set up in the compression member.

In the present invention the end casting, designated as a whole by thenumeral 8,

consists essentially of a top plate 9 overlying the web of thecompression member,

The outer edge of this top plate is thickened,

as shown at 18, to replace the ordinary filler.

The tension member passes along in contact with the underside of the topplate portion 12 and is bent over the thickened portion 13, and securedin place by rivets 14.

In order to secure the tension and compression members very firmly intheir relative positions, a key 15, wedge-shaped in the longitudinalsection of the bolster, is inserted between the underside of thecompression member web and the upper side of the tension member, andsecured in place by rivets 16 and 17 passing through the web and flangesof the compression member and top and side plates of the end casting;

It will be readily seen from the drawing, particularly Fig. 2, that theend casting forms the connection between the compression and tensionmembers and is an integral part of the bolster. The topplate of thecasting replaces the bent. up end of the compression member, and thefiller, and forms the necessary anchorage for the tension member. Thistop plate is suitably supported and stiffened by the side plates 10, andis as a matter of fact merely in compression between the tension memberand the end of the compression member. The seat rib 11, which engagesthe entire end of the compression member transmits the pull of thetension member to the entire section of the compression member, so thatinternal stresses are not set up, the full strength of the compressionmember is utilized, and no tearing of the web can result. The key member15 forced in between the tension and compression members prevents thedropping of the compression. member, and relieves the top plate of muchstress, any tendency to movement being transmitted to and resisted bythe tension member. This key member in addition holds the compressionmember against buckling at the point where it is weakened by the rivetholes.

In the process of manufacture, time and material are saved and asuperior bolster produced. The end casting is slipped on to the end ofthe compression member and the tension member bent over the thickenedlip 1.8. The bending and subsequent shrinking of thetension member drawsthe rib 11 very tightly against the end of the compression member, sothat a firm connection is made between the parts. After the tensionmember has been riveted in place, the key member 15 is inserted anddriven tightly between the compression and tension members and rivetedin position. It will readily be seen that a saving of material iseffected by shortening the compression member, and that the operation ofbending the end is also eliminated, together with the filler, and theoperation of inserting same.

While the end members of the bolster have been referred to as castings,owing to the general practice of using castings at this point, it isobvious that these end members may be stampings or forgings if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a bolster,compression and tension members, an end member connecting saidcompression and tension members at their ends, and a key insertedbetween the compression. and tension members within said end member andconnected through the compressi on member with the end member.

2. In a bolster, compression and tension members, an end memberconnecting and embracing the ends of said compression and tensionmembers, and a key inserted between the ends of said compression andtension members within and attached to the end member, arranged to holdthe compression and tension members against movement relative to oneanother and to the end member.

3. In a bolster, compression and tension members,-an end memberembracing the top and sides of the compression and tension members, anda key inserted between the ends of the compression and tension membersarranged to force the compression member upwardly against the endmember.

I. In a bolster, a compression member of channel section and a tensionmember passing between the flanges thereof, an end member of channelform embracing the extremities of said compression and tension members,an internal rib on said end member forming an abutment for thecompression member, and a key inserted between the ends of thecompression and tension members-arranged to hold the compression memberin engagement with its abutment.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK DITCHFIELD.

Witnesses:

S. 1%. W. ALLEN, G. M. MORELAND,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

7 Washington, D. 0.

